Latest news with #UNConventionontheRightsofPersonswithDisabilities
Irish Examiner
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Grace is not a victim of unfortunate oversight, but a citizen whose rights were repeatedly violated
Living as a disabled woman in Ireland means being underestimated, having your capacity constantly questioned regardless of your impairment, being infantilised, silenced, excluded, and rendered a nuisance. As women, we are marked by difference. Cultural and institutional memory often omits us, except for moments of public shame; even then, we are not centred — merely exposed. The story of Grace, a non-speaking, intellectually disabled woman left in an abusive 'foster' home for decades, is not just one of personal harm. Like many wrongdoings in Ireland, it is cloaked in euphemism, delayed accountability, and procedural malpractice. As a nation, we are culpable of collusion and cultural dissonance. In 1989, Grace was placed by the State in a 'foster' home that was never assessed or registered for foster or respite. The placement wasn't an oversight; it was a bureaucratic gamble with a disabled child's life. For decades, the State looked away. Reports of abuse circulated for years. The first real public conversation about vulnerability and disability emerged much later, amid outrage sparked by the Ryan Report (2009) and the Áras Attracta scandal (2014). These moments should have created a lasting national transformation, but outrage without structural change is merely a performance of eloquent rhetoric claiming shock and disgust. There is an inertia surrounding the abuse and mistreatment of disabled children and adults in this country. The Farrelly Commission and the State's decision not to proceed with the second phase has left 47 children unaccounted for. Ireland has signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). However, it has still not ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT), which would allow for independent monitoring of settings where people are deprived of liberty. Ireland's discourse surrounding disabled lives is reductionist, patronising, and insulting in its reporting of Grace; this insulates systemic actors from critique. News coverage of her situation often fails to centre her as a person with rights. Cultural ableism thrives when language strips disabled people of our complexity, autonomy, and dignity. Philosopher Miranda Fricker describes this phenomenon as epistemic injustice — when someone is denied credibility or recognition as a knower of their own life. Grace, through her legal team, submitted extensive materials to the Farrelly Commission, but none were included. The result was a 2000-page report about her, from which her mediated voice was excluded. The Farrelly Commission, established in 2017, arrived late and left early. Phase two — which was intended to explore the experiences of 47 additional children placed in the same abusive home — was abandoned. Officially, this was deemed 'too complex.' The omission of the second phase is not merely a policy gap but an ethical failure. It denied others like Grace - such as Frances O'Keeffe, featured in these pages yesterday - the opportunity to name their harm and be heard. Here, we encounter profound cultural dissonance: policies, practices, and procedures treat disabled lives, voices, and experiences as inconvenient. The disability lens is rarely included as a perspective in public inquiry and never as the central framework. We are not considered worthy of an easy-to-read format or an executive summary. Grace's status as a ward of court meant she had representation and a right to speak; yet, the inquiry into her treatment refused to include her submissions. Throughout the Farrelly Report, there is no trace of her as a legal subject, no evidence of her, and no formal communication with her by the Commission. Grace, through her legal team, submitted extensive materials to the Farrelly Commission, but none were included. The result was a 400-page report about her, from which her mediated voice was excluded. File picture: iStock Grace's narrative is gendered. Most abuse cases in institutional care, such as Áras Attracta, involve disabled women. Misogyny, like ableism, is embedded in the perception of harm as minimal. Disabled women often experience multiple forms of erasure: we are deemed too dependent to consent, too marginal to protect, and too complex to be believed. This erasure is linguistic as much as legal. Reports often use the passive voice — 'mistakes were made,' 'oversight failed.' When the language of bureaucracy overtakes the moral clarity required to name harm, disabled women like Grace become collateral damage in the pursuit of institutional self-preservation. The facts of the case are not ambiguous. Grace was placed in an un-inspected foster home. She remained there for 20 years despite a documented history of abuse concerns. The State had multiple opportunities to intervene — and chose not to. In 2017, the Farrelly Commission was formed. In 2024, it issued its report — over 2000 pages, €13m spent — and Grace's voice was still absent. Grace is not a singular failure but a symbol of systemic neglect. Her story is one chapter in a broader narrative that Ireland has yet to confront: the persistent, patterned erasure of disabled people from our histories, protections, and safety. If justice is to mean anything, it must begin with truth. That means revisiting the Farrelly Report—not with neutrality but with moral clarity. It means reinstating phase two. It means recognising Grace not as a victim of unfortunate oversight but as a citizen whose rights were repeatedly violated. Like so many others, Grace's voice will remain silent in the public record until we rewrite it—not posthumously, but now, while we still have time to act. Dr Rosaleen McDonagh is a playwright from The Traveller community.
Irish Examiner
05-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
'We don't think that's fair': People with disabilities forced to pay for postal vote option
Requiring people with disabilities to pay for doctor certs to get a postal vote is an 'unjustifiable barrier' to electoral participation, the Electoral Commission has said. The Commission has called on the Government to remove the need for people with disabilities to pay for their certification, with chief executive Art O'Leary saying it should be done in advance of the upcoming Presidential elections. Mr O'Leary said he wrote to housing minister James Browne about the matter, saying it should be dealt with urgently. 'There is a single cohort of people in this country who have to pay to vote. They have to get a certain certificate from a doctor to say that they are unable to attend a polling station and they have to pay for that certificate,' Mr O'Leary said. 'We don't think that's fair.' In the letter, Mr O'Leary says data collected by the Electoral Commission after the local and European elections in June 2024 showed 23% of voters with a disability opted against casting a ballot due to their disability. 'An Coimisiún considers that the current procedures around medical certification imposes an additional cost for many applicants and that this amounts to an unjustifiable barrier to participation. 'Registration for postal voting where medical certification is required should not impose any financial cost on an applicant.' Mr O'Leary urged the housing minister to waive the charge 'without delay' to avoid it becoming a barrier to people with disabilities seeking to register for a postal vote ahead of the presidential election. Under current requirements, an individual with a disability seeking a postal vote is required to get a GP's sign-off on the request – which is not covered by medical card, unlike other services for people with disabilities. Emer Begley, director of advocacy for the Disability Federation of Ireland, said the associated costs with getting a postal vote is 'not equitable' for people with disabilities. 'There should not be a barrier to exercising your right as a citizen to vote and because you have a disability, you are financially affected by this,' Ms Begley said. Ms Begley also flagged concerns about the time frame people have to apply for their postal vote, with applications for a vote closing two days after the Dáil is dissolved for a general election. In particular, Ms Begley said that the Government was contravening the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by not removing the charge. A spokesperson for the Department of Housing confirmed that the correspondence from the Electoral Commission was 'being considered'. Voting in Ireland The Electoral Commission is due to deliver its report on the 2024 general election later this month, which is set to outline issues with accessibility of polling stations. Mr O'Leary said, at present, Ireland does 'not make it easy for people to vote'. 'In this country, you have to turn up at a particular place, on a particular day and in between particular hours and if you can't do that, then you can't vote,' he said. He said work is ongoing at present around the issue of voting, with research underway within the Electoral Commission to consider expansion of postal voting or even early voting. 'I think it's inevitable that when we're looking at the issue of postal voting, that we will look at alternatives as well,' Mr O'Leary said. Read More
Jordan Times
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Jordan Times
Global Disability Summit concludes with 'commitments' for inclusion
AMMAN — The third Global Disability Summit concluded on Thursday in Berlin with "tangible commitments" to advance disability inclusion. Persons with disabilities, who make up 15 per cent of the global population, approximately 1.3 billion people, are often left out of development projects. In response to this gap and the backdrop of shrinking aid for inclusion, the summit introduced a new goal: ensuring that at least 15 per cent of development projects at the country level focus on disability inclusion. This target is captured in the Amman-Berlin Declaration, which has been adopted by over 80 governments and organisations, according to a statement for The Jordan Times. Throughout the Summit, over 800 commitments were made by governments, private sector organisations, and development actors to enhance accessibility and meaningful participation for persons with disabilities. Co-hosted by the German Development Ministry, Jordan, and the International Disability Alliance (IDA), the summit brought together 4,500 participants from nearly 100 countries, including persons with disabilities, government representatives and civil society leaders. Over the course of more than 60 sessions, discussions focused on strengthening the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and ensuring that commitments lead to actionable change. At the opening ceremony, the Federal Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz reaffirmed Germany's commitment to disability inclusion, especially in a time when countries are cutting down on their inclusion funding. The chancellor committed to the 15 per cent target and announced a joint initiative on inclusive education with Jordan. His Majesty King Abdullah called for ongoing commitment and action to ensure that all individuals can live with dignity, happiness and hope, stressing that inclusion is not merely about accessibility, but it is also about recognising the inherent potential in every human being and creating environments where everyone can contribute, the statement said. IDA President Nawaf Kabbara stressed that true disability inclusion cannot be achieved unless Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) are at the table where funding decisions are made, stressing that inclusion must be 'with' OPDs, not 'for' OPDs. The Amman-Berlin Declaration sets a target that at least 15 per cent of development projects be specifically designed to promote disability inclusion. Currently, only 6 per cent of development projects directly contribute to this goal. German Development Minister Svenja Schulze noted that development policy can only succeed when all stakeholders collaborate, highlighting that the Amman-Berlin Declaration is a global commitment, not just a promise from donor countries. She highlighted that true inclusion benefits not only the 15 per cent of people with disabilities, but society as a whole. Several key initiatives were also announced during the summit. The UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office committed to launching an Assistive Technology Investment Vehicle through the AT2030 programme, aiming to raise $60 million by 2026, while co-chairing the Global Action on Disability Network to foster global partnerships for disability inclusion. UNICEF committed to allocating 10 per cent of its annual budget to children with disabilities by 2030, expanding data collection, and scaling inclusive education and protection systems in 50 countries. IDA pledged to strengthen OPDs in over 100 countries to influence policy, launch a leadership programme for 80 young persons with disabilities, and partner with the UN Global Disability Fund to advance the implementation of the CRPD in 50 countries. In Jordan, 88 national organisations, including government bodies, civil society, academia, media, and the private sector, made 133 commitments to promote the rights of persons with disabilities. During a dedicated session, Minister of Education Azmi Mahafzah announced five strategic, rights-based commitments, including a JD90-million investment by the Association of Banks in Jordan, banks operating in the country, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, and the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to enhance inclusive education and health services, and transform 250 public schools. These pledges highlight Jordan's strong commitment to dignity, equality and the full participation of persons with disabilities, according to the statement. A new partnership between Germany and the African Union was announced to strengthen organisations of persons with disabilities across Africa, with a focus on youth and women. The multilateral education initiative Education Cannot Wait will collaborate with Germany, the UK, IDA, and the Girls' Education Challenge to improve data collection and accountability for inclusive education in crisis-affected regions by 2028.
Jordan Times
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Jordan Times
Global Disability Summit concludes with commitments for inclusion
Persons with disabilities, who make up 15 per cent of the global population are often left out of development projects (Photo courtesy of the Global Disability Summit) AMMAN — The third Global Disability Summit concluded on April 3 in Berlin with tangible commitments to advance disability inclusion. Persons with disabilities, who make up 15 per cent of the global population—approximately 1.3 billion people— are often left out of development projects. In response to this gap and the backdrop of shrinking aid for inclusion, the Summit introduced a new goal: ensuring that at least 15 per cent of development projects at the country level focus on disability inclusion. This target is captured in the Amman-Berlin Declaration, which was adopted today by over 80 governments and organisations, according to a statement for The Jordan Times. Throughout the Summit, over 800 commitments were made by governments, private sector organisations, and development actors to enhance accessibility and meaningful participation for persons with disabilities. Co-hosted by the German Development Ministry, Jordan, and the International Disability Alliance (IDA), the Summit brought together 4,500 participants from nearly 100 countries, including persons with disabilities, government representatives, and civil society leaders. Over the course of more than 60 sessions, discussions focused on strengthening the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and ensuring that commitments lead to actionable change. At the opening ceremony, Olaf Scholz, the Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany reaffirmed Germany's commitment to disability inclusion, especially in a time when countries are cutting down on their inclusion funding. The Chancellor committed to the 15per cent target and announced a joint initiative on inclusive education with Jordan. His Majesty King Abdullah called for ongoing commitment and action to ensure that all individuals can live with dignity, happiness, and hope, stressing that inclusion is not merely about accessibility, but it is also about recognising the inherent potential in every human being and creating environments where everyone can contribute, the statement said. Nawaf Kabbara, President of the International Disability Alliance (IDA), stressed that true disability inclusion cannot be achieved unless Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) are at the table where funding decisions are made. He emphasised that inclusion must be 'with' OPDs, not 'for' OPDs. The Amman-Berlin Declaration sets a target that at least 15 per cent of development projects be specifically designed to promote disability inclusion. Currently, only six per cent of development projects directly contribute to this goal. German Development Minister Svenja Schulze noted that development policy can only succeed when all stakeholders collaborate, highlighting that the Amman-Berlin Declaration is a global commitment, not just a promise from donor countries. She emphasised that true inclusion benefits not only the 15 per cent of people with disabilities, but society as a whole. Several key initiatives were also announced during the Summit. The UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) committed to launching an Assistive Technology Investment Vehicle through the AT2030 programme, aiming to raise $60 million by 2026, while co-chairing the Global Action on Disability (GLAD) Network to foster global partnerships for disability inclusion. UNICEF committed to allocating 10 per cent of its annual budget to children with disabilities by 2030, expanding data collection, and scaling inclusive education and protection systems in 50 countries. IDA pledged to strengthen OPDs in over 100 countries to influence policy, launch a leadership programme for 80 young persons with disabilities, and partner with the UN Global Disability Fund to advance the implementation of the CRPD in 50 countries. In Jordan, 88 national organisations—including government bodies, civil society, academia, media, and the private sector—made 133 commitments to promote the rights of persons with disabilities. During a dedicated session, Azmi Mahafzah, Minister of Education, announced five strategic, rights-based commitments, including a 90 million JOD investment by the Association of Banks in Jordan, banks operating in the country, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, and the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to enhance inclusive education and health services, and transform 250 public schools. These pledges highlight Jordan's strong commitment to dignity, equality, and the full participation of persons with disabilities, according to the statement. A new partnership between Germany and the African Union was announced to strengthen organisations of persons with disabilities across Africa, with a focus on youth and women. The multilateral education initiative Education Cannot Wait will collaborate with Germany, the United Kingdom, IDA, and the Girls' Education Challenge to improve data collection and accountability for inclusive education in crisis-affected regions by 2028.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Declaration on inclusion agreed at Global Disability Summit in Berlin
More than 80 countries and international organizations have agreed on a common declaration on improving inclusion for people with disabilities at a summit in Berlin. The Amman-Berlin Declaration on Global Disability Inclusion, signed on Thursday, intends to boost the number of development projects focusing on inclusion for people with disabilities. Around 1.3 billion people, or 15% of the global population, are estimated to have a disability. Some 4,500 participants from 100 countries attended the Global Disability Summit, which was officially opened by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Jordan's King Abdullah II on Wednesday. The aim of the two-day summit was to achieve concrete progress in implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. "With the Amman-Berlin Declaration, we have achieved a real breakthrough for the rights of people with disabilities worldwide," said German Development Minister Svenja Schulze. The agreement provides an objective for 15% of global development projects to be targeted towards the inclusion of disabled people.
